Texts of the North American Indian

Writings of E.S. Curtis
Excerpts from "The North American Indian" Set #254, Vol. 8

THE ROCK WOMEN

A woman had a house where the village of Nihhluidih was later built. She was chief of all who lived in this region. that was long ago, before Coyote came up the river and changed things, and people were not yet real people. After a time Coyote in his travels came to this place and asked the inhabitants if they were living well or ill. They sent him to their chief, who lived up in the rocks, where she could look down on the village and know all that was going on.

Coyote climbed up to her home and asked: "What kind of living do you give these people? Do you treat them well, or are you one of those evil women?" "I am teaching them how to live well and to build good houses," she said. "Soon the world is going to change," he told her, "and women will no longer be chiefs." Then he changed her into a rock, with the command, "you will stay here and watch over the people who live at this place, which shall be called Nihhluidih."

All the people know that Tsagiglalal sees all things, for whenever they are looking up at her those large eyes are watching them.

THE STAR STONE

In the old days when many people lived down the river, but before any dwelt up up the stream, a man with five daughters started in a canoe up the river to dig roots. these girls were all young, the tallest being but fifteen years of age,and the smallest only ten. As they travelled up the river they passed many attractive places, but did not stop until they came near to when Nihhluidih is. At that place grew many fine roots. so they stopped at sunset and made their camp. After a while the girls all lay down side by side to sleep, and as they looked up they talked of the glimmering stars.the eldest asked, "sister, do you think the stars are people?" "yes sister," answered another, "i thank they are men." the eldest pointed to a large one, saying "i think that one is a man, and perhaps he will come down and marry me." Each of the girls in her turn pointed out the star she would marry, and even the smallest chose a very faint star that she would have as a husband. "hush, sister, you are to small to talk of husbands," child the eldest,and with thoughts of wonder of stars they fell asleep

in the morning there lay by the side of each one a man, but they were not of age similar to the girls, for a small boy was companion of the eldest girl, and a wrinkled,decrepit,grey-haired man was with the youngest. when the sisters awoke, one of the star men cried, "all go up now!" and they all rose in the air carrying the five girls with them, except the old man, who was so feeble that he could not rise. He remained lying on the ground and turned into a bright stone. the five sisters were carried up above the sky, where the stars are, and they saw that the world there was just like this, with grass and flowers.

when the up river country became populated, the people in Nihhluidh saw the bright stone on the ground, shining so brightly that it could be seen from afar. in the darkness it glittered like a star. the possession of this wonderful stone seemed to make the people of the village vary lucky, and their neighbors grew jealous. some of those across the river, in the absence of the wishham, brought an alk-skin, wrapped the stone in it, and threw it into the river. When the people came back from their berry-picking, there was no star stone to be seen, but later, when the water reached its lowest level, some one, looking into the depths of the stream, saw it shining on the bottom.

EDWARD S. CURTIS